It's been a long time. So long, in fact, I have too much to write about.





Big Reach Center of Hope
A few weeks ago I went home to Ohio for a very big project of my dad's. Extreme Home Makeover: My Hometown Edition. More than 2,000 volunteers took part in the seven-day adventure to build the 22,000 square-foot building (the largest building built in the shortest period of time ... we didn't think about contacting Guiness Book though) that now houses the benevolance ministry my dad founded in 2004.

I helped decorate, unpack, unload, clean and do some other things. But what got me the most was how only 400 or so of those volunteers were from the church. All of the rest were community members who wanted to make a difference. Those volunteers have now seen God work in amazing ways.

Baseball
All of my writer friends are writing about it right now. So I feel like I should take a shot at it, as dismal as it may be. When will my Indians return to their late 90s state of glory?

My All-Star team:
Sandy Alomar, catcher; Charles Nagy, pitcher; Jim Thome, first base; Carlos Baerga, second base; Omar Vizquel, short stop; Third base was always changing; Albert Belle, Left field; Kenny Lofton, Center field; Manny Ramirez, Right field; Mike Hardgrove leading the way. Life was good back then.

So I guess for the ninth year in a row I will watch the World Series without the boys with the blue caps. Hopefully I can sleep tonight.

Politics
Is this terrible? I don't really care. I'm tired of a new "scandel" being revealed every week. So now I tune it out. I'm a terrible American.

Sara Evans
I'm a huge fan of "Dancing with the Stars." I'm a girl. What can I say? Mario Lopez will win. However, my heart goes out to Sara and what she's had to deal with in her personal life. I just can't imagine what she must be feeling right now. I hope that the media is finished with this story now.

Work
I love my job. Every day I create something new for the admissions office. I love the people I work with. There's something new I'm feeling with this job. Last year, my work had to be good. That hasn't changed this year. What has changed is the results factor of that good work. Last year I had to produce good work that won awards. This year I have to produce good work that produces a return. I'm not used to that. Although that is what I love about marketing is that stress. I am feeling pressure right now. Everytime I create something new or come up with a marketing strategy, I have this nagging feeling inside, "What if it doesn't work?" "What if we lose money on this idea?"

So far, no losses nor failures. Just constant prayers that these ideas will work.

This has been long enough.